Universities and colleges set their own entry requirements for higher education courses, so they can vary, but UK students can get into higher education with a range of "level 3" qualifications, including:
Some prospectuses refer mainly to A levels when they talk about entry requirements, but don't be put off if you’ve got vocational qualifications like NVQ or BTEC. South Thames College recognises these equally.
Work experience can be taken into account alongside any qualifications you have, especially if you're applying for a Foundation Degree course.
If you have a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND), you may be able to enter a first degree course at the start of the second or third year.
If you have a Foundation Degree, you may be able to enter a degree course at the start of the third or final year.
If you don't have the entry requirements
Don't worry - we can help you get them.
We offer a wide range of level 3 qualifications like those listed at the top, for example BTEC National if you have recently left school, or Access to Higher Education if you have been out of education for a few years.
If you are from outside the UK, you can get onto a higher education course if you have qualifications equivalent to UK level 3 (see the list at the top for examples of level 3 qualifications). You may also need an English language qualification.
If you don't have the entry requirements, you can take our University Foundation Programme, or Access to HE Diploma if your previous education was in English.